Children's home run by Time-Out Children’s Homes Limited in Stockport

Inspection report for children's home: SC416267 1 SC416267 Registered provider: Time-Out Children’s Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home is registered to provide care for up to two children who may have behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. If required, children can access the organisation’s school and therapy department.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home. She spoke to the inspector about her experiences living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager registered with Ofsted on 17 December 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 28 January 2020

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC416267 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/01/2020 Full Good 08/01/2019 Full Good 18/12/2017 Full Good 14/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children's home: SC416267 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is making significant progress in all areas of her life. She has been supported to develop positive, trusting relationships with staff who clearly care about her and understand her needs. Staff provide a high level of care that is nurturing, child-centred and individualised. The child told the inspector: ‘I love living here. It is the best place I have ever lived since being in care. If it wasn’t for the staff team, I would not be the person I am today.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are listened to. The child is regularly consulted and her views contribute to her day-to-day care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to pursue their interests and facilitate their access to activities regardless of the distance. The child is excelling in sport and the professionals around her attribute this to the consistent support and encouragement she receives from the staff team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is well promoted. Staff work closely with education providers to identify suitable plans for children. They have been instrumental in enabling the child to stay in mainstream education. Professionals recognise the positive effect that clear and consistent boundaries are having on her attitude towards her learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are sensitive to the effects of family relationships and consult with placing authorities to ensure family time is child-led. Staff have creatively enabled this to continue during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring children have been able to keep in touch with people safely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves in and out of the home are well managed and consider the needs of children living in the home alongside children moving in or out of the home. One child’s placement recently ended in an unplanned way. Following liaison with other professionals, it was identified that the team was unable to continue to safely meet her needs. The manager has reflected on this situation and implemented processes to further strengthen practice in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides a nurturing and welcoming environment for children. The kitchen area has recently been refurbished and the child’s interests are reflected throughout the home. Her bedroom has been decorated to reflect her tastes and identity, enabling her to develop a sense of belonging and pride in the home. Despite efforts to maintain high standards, some areas appear tired and would benefit from being refreshed, and the bathroom is in need of refurbishment. Inspection report for children's home: SC416267 4

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The child said she feels safe and knows that staff want to help her. Professionals say they know that she is happy, kept safe when she is in the home and that her needs are well understood.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The child is highly vulnerable to safeguarding risks in the community. Staff are vigilant to these risks and have access to clear behaviour and risk management plans. These plans include strategies for staff to follow. All plans are regularly reviewed.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Missing-from-home procedures are well understood. Staff are proactive in trying to locate children and encourage their return. There has been a significant reduction in missing-from-home episodes for the child living in the home. She has been able to increase her awareness of risks in the community through key conversations with staff. This helps her to make safer choices and develop her understanding of healthy relationships.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The team works collaboratively with the organisation’s therapy team and placing authorities to identify strategies to keep children safe. They are able to effectively use strategies to calm children when they are in crisis, often diverting incidents of them hurting themselves or others. As a result, this has reduced the need for children to be held because of safety concerns. Whenever children are held because of concerns, holds are low level, safe and clearly recorded. There is strong oversight of incidents by the manager.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

During the inspection, the child demonstrated how security settings on the home’s streaming devices were not robust. She was able to access content that was not suitable for her age group. This is something the manager has now addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a suitably skilled and experienced manager. The team benefits from her clear leadership and guidance. She is child-centred, nurturing and well regarded in her role. Since joining the home, she has implemented a number of changes to increase management oversight and improve practice. The manager and independent visitor regularly consult with children and stakeholders, and their views are incorporated into plans for the home. Minor discrepancies in recordings were identified during the inspection and the manager has taken action to address them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager manages another home that is in close proximity to this home. Staff work across both homes, but each home has a core team. The home experienced a number of staff changes earlier in the year. This affected the availability of core staff and resulted in an increase in incidents in the home, ultimately leading to a child’s placement ending in an unplanned way. The manager took action to address staffing difficulties and the home now has a stable, consistent staff team. Only staff who are employed by the organisation are able to work in the home and agency staff are not used. Inspection report for children's home: SC416267 5 The team feels valued and supported by the manager. Morale is high. Staff have access to regular team meetings that include ways for them to develop their understanding of children’s needs and improve practice. They also benefit from effective supervision and access to a wide range of training to further enhance their

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The requirement and recommendation made at the last inspection have been met. Inspection report for children's home: SC416267 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the condition of the home is maintained to a high standard throughout. Some areas appear tired and would benefit from being refreshed. The bathroom is in need of refurbishment. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that security settings are in place on the home’s electronic streaming devices to prevent children from accessing content that is not suitable for their age group. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should ensure that staff record information in a way that is clear and not open to misinterpretation. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children's home: SC416267 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Time-Out Children’s Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2, Mill Fold, Ripponden, Sowerby Bridge HX6 4DH

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Dominic Macauley

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Inspector

Caroline Bertram, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC416267 8 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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